Accreditation

The University of Austin was granted Candidate for Accreditation status by the Middle States Commission for Higher Education (MSCHE) on August 28, 2025. Prior to that, the University was an “applicant” to the Commission. The key difference between applicant status and candidate status is the level of formal recognition and engagement with the accreditor and the accreditation process. 

As an applicant, we were not yet institutional members of the Commission; we were under consideration for membership and working to demonstrate that we could meet the basic requirements to enter the process. 

Achieving candidate status is a substantive step forward. Candidate institutions are officially institutional members of the Commission and have demonstrated that they are prepared to begin the structured, multi-year self-study process that the Commission requires to determine a grant of full accreditation. 

In short, applicant status was a preliminary review phase, while candidate status is formal recognition that an institution has met the thresholds necessary to join the Commission’s membership and proceed toward accredited status in the same manner as all already-accredited institutions. 

The University has enjoyed a positive, collaborative working relationship with the Commission. We will continue to work closely with them in the coming years for a timely and efficient accreditation process.

The University of Austin has launched its accreditation self-study in pursuit of full accreditation. This is a two-year process involving institutional research, data collection, evidence collection, reporting, and drafting narratives that demonstrate how the University meets all of the accreditor’s standards and requirements of affiliation. 

These activities culminate in an on-site evaluation visit by Middle States peer evaluators, planned for fall 2027. During this visit, evaluators will validate the evidence and information we have submitted, interview university constituents, and report on the extent to which the University has demonstrated that it meets all standards. We anticipate their report will go to the Commission in March 2028 for a determination of the University’s accreditation status. If this timeline holds, the University could be accredited prior to the issuance of its first undergraduate degrees. While the determination of accreditation rests with the Commission, the University is committed to being diligent with our submissions, responses, and all accreditation activities within our control.

The first four paragraphs plus the following: 

Candidate for Accreditation status with MSCHE is the pre-accreditation status required by federal law and regulation. Once an institution is pre-accredited, federal law allows it to pursue privileges such as Federal Student Aid eligibility, F-1 visa/SEVP authorization, VA benefits, and other similar federal programs.